Time-switch.



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TIME SWITCH. APPLICATION FILED JUP lE 25. 19M.

Patented May 14, 1918.

Fig.2.

W. 3. RYAN.

TIME swncu.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 25. I9.

Patented 'Mayl l, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Fig.5.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WALTER S. RYAN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

TIME-SWITCH.

Application filed June 25, 1914.

To all whom it may concern:

Be itknown that I, VVAL'rnR S. RYAN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of New York, in the county and State of New York. have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Time- Switc'hes, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to time switches.

One of the objects of the invention. is to devise a construction having a main switch which is opened and closed by energy that is received from the same source of supply as the energy which is received for automatically winding a clock, that controls the moving of the main switch to and from closed position.

Another object of the invention is to construct a time switch in which a primary motor is employed for operating the mechanism that propels the main switch or switch proper. In this construction the clock is preferably employed for positioning the switch propelling mechanism. whereby, dependent upon the position of said switch propelling mechanism, the primary motor or electric engine can be utilized to either open or close the main switch proper by actuating the switch propelling mechanism.

As showing certain embodiments of the invention, reference is made to the drawings, in which,

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the time switch with the cover of the casing removed.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the time switch. This figure is a view taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 8 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line of Fig. 1.

Fig. is a front view of a detail of the primary control switch, namely the switch that primarily controls the flow of electric current to the electric engine or primary motor.

Fig. 5 is a front elevation of the main switch or switch proper and the propelling mechanism therefor. This figure also shows the mechanism whereby the clock can position the propelling mechanism so that the latter can be actuated from the electric engine or motor.

Fig. 6 is one form of wiring diagram which may be utilized in the improved switch construct-ion, while Fig. 7 illustrates another form of wiring diagram which may be utilized,

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 14, 1918.

Serial No. 847,195.

Fig. 8 is a transverse sectional view of a portion of the train of gears which are comprised in the clock. This set of gears is hereinafter referred to as the clock train. The clock shown is gravity operated and said train of gears constitutes the mechanism between the gravity-operated members of the clock and fingers that are movable with a dial of the clock whereby said fingers can be utilized to actuate the positioning mechanism.

The time switch comprises the clock A, the main switch. or switch proper B, the primary motor or electric engine C, preferably a magnet, for automatically winding the clock, a primary control switch D, which switch is operatively connected to a movable member of the clock train, a secondary switch E, a propelling mechanism F for opening and closing the main switch B, and a mechanism G arranged for positioning the propelling mechanism, whereby the latter will either open or close the main switch when the propelling mechanism is actuated by the primary motor.

The primary control switch D is connected to a movable member of the clock (see Fig. 4:) and is located in the circuit for supplying current to the motor, whereby, when the clock is nearly run down, the current can pass .to the motor to automatically wind the clock.

The secondary switch E above referred to (see Fig. 6 or Fig. 7) is connected to the switch propelling mechanism so that when the propelling mechanism is about to be actuated to close the main switch, and while said mechanism is being actuated by the electric engine to close the main switch, an increase of current can be supplied to the electric engine C whereby the latter can furnish sufficient power to properly force the main switch to full closed position.

The various parts just referred to are all preferably located within a casing H which is of course provided with a suitable cover K whereby access to the parts within the casing can be had. This casing constitutes the main frame of the apparatus, upon which all the parts may be secured.

The clock A preferably comprises a movement having a lever type escapement. In the preferred form of clock gravity is used as the means for supplying energy as a motive power for operating the clock, and such a clockis illustrated, but it will be manifest that springs or other forms of motive power can be utilized as such are well known in the art.

Above it was indicated that the preferred form of electric engine was the magnet C. This magnet may be more specifically referred to as a solenoid having the vertically movable armature or core 1. This core 1 is pivotally connected at its lower end to the parallel levers 2 which are fulcrumed at 3 to the main frame. The pivotal connection of the core 1 to the levers 2 is at l.

The main shaft of the clock (see Fig. i) is designated as 5 and has mounted thereupon'the gear 6, which in turn meshes with the vertically movable rack 7 that is connected by means of a link 8 to the levers 2. The core 1, the levers 2, the link 8 and the "rack '7, constitute a gravity means for pro pelling the clock train which comprises (see Figs. l and 8) the gear 6, the pawl 9, which is pivotally connected to the gear 6, the ratchet wheel 10, which is secured to the main shaft 5, and such other gears as 11, which are secured to shafts 5, 12, and 13, which are connected together, and 14:, which is secured to the dial 15. The dial makes one complete revolution in twenty-four hours and is divided into a. number of units (24 to correspond to the divisions of the day) and these units may be still further divided into sub-units (representing certain divisions of the hour) and in conjunction with this dial are a number of operating fingers, as 16 and 17, which can be positioned so as to automatically actuate the mechanism G that controls the position of the switch propelling mechanism F. The specific construction of these fingers and of the positioning mechanism will be hereinafter described more in detail.

The main switch proper B comprises a number of fixed contacts 18, to which the incoming and outgoing conductors are connected. The movable contacts of the main switch proper are indicated by 19 and these are secured to the yoke 20 that is pivotally connected to the upper ends of the parallel links 21. These links 21 are pivotally connected at their lower ends to the bracket 22 on the casing or main frame, and the construction is such that the engaging ends of the contacts 19 move from their companion stationary contacts at the same rate, or in other words, equal distances. The incoming wires are connected to the upper contacts and :to these wires or contacts there are also connected the wires 23 and 24 that supply current to the electric engine.

The primary motor or electric engine C, which, as above stated, is specifically a solenoid, comprises coils 25 and 26 as in Fig. 6, or coil '27, as in Fig. 7, and also the core 1, as in either Figs. 6 or 7. The lifting effect of the coils of the solenoid which is exerted upon the core, is greater when the solenoid 1S being utillzed to operate the main switch propelling mechanism than when the solenoid is being utilized to merely wind the clock. The larger supply of current necessary to operate the main switch propelling mechanism is obtained or may be obtained either by causing an increased number of the coils to operate electrically upon. the core, as may be done (see Fig. (3) bringing into operation coil 26 when the switch being closed, or by increasing the current supplied to the solenoid as is done in Fig. 7 by short circuiting a resister 58.

In Fig. 6 lines X and Y indicate the source of current supply. 25 indicates one set of coils which is always electrically in circuit when the engine is being operated. represents another set of coils which is brought into operation only when the switch is being closed. In other words, coil 25 is large enough in and of itself to cause the core 1 to be raised when the solenoid is merely performing the function of winding the clock, while coils 25 and 26 electrically cooperate :to raise the core 1 when both the clock is to be wound and the switch propelling mechanism is to be operated. lVhen the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 6, the current passes from X, through wire 23, through contact 30, to contact 31, where it is ground in the wheel 6, and the shaft 5 on which the wheel 6 is mounted, to the coil 25, which is electrically connected to the wheel 6. as by the wire From coil 25 it passes, as by wire 24, to source of supply Y. In this position the coil 25, being energized, will cause the core 1 to be raised thus operating the clock winding mechanism shown more fully in Fig. 1. The operating of the clock winding mechanism causes the rack 7, which engages the wheel 6, to turn the latter in a counter-clockwise direction, and during this movement of the wheel 6 contacts 30 and 31 are in .engagement until the insulator 29 has moved from over the lower free end of contact 30. This insulator 29 is mounted on the gear 6, but insulated therefrom. The contact 30 is carried on a spring arm 30 which is mounted on a' pivotal supporting member of insulating material, and to the latter there is secured an arm 32, shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3, which is arranged to be engaged by the pin 33 that is carried by and extends rearwardly from gear 6. This arm 32 and pin 33 coope ate to raise the low-er free end of the contact carrying arm 30 so that contact 30 will be lifted from the contact 31 and above the insulated member 29. This insulated member 29 is carried on gear 6 and projects forwardly therefrom.

The clock, as has been previously stated,

is energizedby gravity means which comprises the core 1, the levers 2, the link 8 and the rack 7, which causes the gear 6 to turn clockwise when the gravity means is operating to energize the clock. Immediately after winding, and for the period while the gear 6 is thus turning clockwise, the contact member 30 rests upon the insulated member 29. This condition exists until said insulated member 29 has moved from under the lower free end of the said contact 30, thus allowing the contact member 30 to move downwardly upon the contact member 31. When this engagement of the contact members 30 and 31 takes place, the gravity operating mechanism is near the lower portlon of its travel and the contact members 30 and 31 constitute what was previously referred to as the primary control switch because it permits or controls, the flow of electric current to the primary motor. The construction shown in Fig. 7 is similar in many respects to the construction shown in Fig. 6 so far as concerns the passing of the current from X, over the line 23 to the contact 30, through the contact 31, through the wire 33, through resistance 58, coil 27 and over wire 24 to source Y.

The main switch propelling mechanism comprises a pair of toggle links 37 and 41 which are pivotally connected at 39. Toggle link 37 is pivotall connected at 38 to one of the parallel links 21. Toggle link 41 is pivoted at 43 on a bracket on the casing or frame and is rovided with the arm 42. This link 41 and t 1e arm 42 constitute a lever 40 which is fulcrumed at 43. The switch propelling mechanism also comprises the upright members 34 and 35, the former of which is connected to the toggle links at 39 and the latter of which is connected at 44 v to the free end of arm 42. When a suiiicient upward pull is exerted on the uprightmember 34, it serves to break the toggle, or

. in other words, to open the main switch. ()n

the other hand, when a sufficient upward pull is exerted on the upright member 35, the toggle links are moved from the position shown in Fig. 1 to the position shown in Fig. 5, viz., from broken to straight line position in order to force the main switch to closed position.

On the stationary frame of the clock there is carried bracket 45 and on the lower end of this bracket there is pivotally mounted at 46 the positioning arms 47 and 48. The bracket 45 preferably has integral therewith a lateral extension 49 which is provided with aslot or guide 50. Through this slot a pin 51 passes and one end of this pin is directly connected to a member 35, that is secured to the link 35. To the other end of this pin there is pivotally secured the lower and upper links 52 and 53. Link 52 is pivotally connected to the lower end of the arm 47 at the other endby means of ai pin to the upper part 34*, which is a part of the upright member 34. The upper end of the link 35 and the upper end of the lever 34 will be moved either to the right or to the left, dependent upon whether the upper end of the arm 47 is pushed to the left or whether the upper end of the arm 48- is pushed to the left. There are also carried at the upper end of the upright member 35 two pieces of insulating material 35, between which there is pivoted a lifting catch 55. The lower end of this catch 55 is continuously pressed forward" to the right by the spring 35 and this catch 55 constitutes a contact member which is one of the members of the secondary switch E previously referred to, the other contact member of this secondary switch E being the pin 56 that is carried by the levers 2. It will be recalled, as previously stated, that the contact 31 is grounded? in gear wheel 6, and such being the case, the current supply to contact 30 is grounded in the main frame of the clock. Consequently any current which passes into the gear wheel 6, can pass therefrom, through the main frame of the clock to the levers 2, and thence through the contact 56 to contact 55, (when said contacts 55 and 56 are in-engagement) through wire 57, coil 26, (see Fig. 6) through wire 24 to source Y. In other words, when the parts are arranged as on Fig. 6, the coil 25 alone will operate to raise core 1 until the contact 56 is engaged with the contact 55, and from then on-un'til the winding of the clock is completed and until the main switch B is thrown from the open position shown in Fig.1 to closed position shown in Fig. 5, both the coils 25 and 26 will coiiperate to lift the core 1 to both wind the clock and operate the switch propelling mechanism in order to force the main switch B to fullclosed po sition.

According to the wiring diagram shown in Fig. 7, the coil 58 is a resistance coil which is in series with the oil 27. When the clock only is being wound, all of the current passes through this resistance The wiring is such that this resistance 58 cut out or is short circuited by the closing of the secondary switch E when the contact members 56 and 55 engage each other, thus allowing the current supply from wire X to pass through the wire 22, through contacts 30 and 31 of the primary control switch D, through the clock frame, the levers 2, through the contacts 56 and 55 of the secondary switch E,

the wire 57, the .coil 28, the wire 24 to the source Y without having to pass through the resistance 58.

Reverting now to the positioning varms 47 and 48,, it will be noted that they are caused to more from the right to the left by the re spective engagements of the fingers 17 and 16 which are movable with the dial. This engagement is effected by the forwardly extending projection 17 a which is on finger 17, and :by the rearwardly'extending projection 1'6 which is on finger 16. These fingers 16 and l7 are preferably made of a spring material and are also provided with knobs and pins whereby they can be positioned so :as to engage any of the desired notches Z in the dial.

. The upright member 34 is provided at its upper end with a catch .59 which is continu v,ously pressed to the left the spring 60 and this catch is arranged so that when the upper ends of members 34 and 35 are switched to the left the catch can beiengaged by the pin :61 which is carried by the levers 2. The catch 55 on upright member 35, and catch 59 on upright member 34, are respectively spring pressed to the left and to the right so that the pins 56 and :61 can be moved downwardly past the catches regardless .of the position ofthe upper ends of the upright members 35 and 34. Catch 59 is not an electrical member as is catch or contact member 5.5, and hence need not be insulated from the member 34.

From what has preceded, it will .be manifest that when the upper ends of the upright members 34 and 35 are in the extreme left position, and the solenoid .C is energized, the levers 2 will be raised, whereby the pin 61 can engage the catch "59 to raise the upright '34 to open the main switch. At this time, according to the form shown in Fig. 6, current is passing only through coil 2.5, while according to the form shown in Fig. 7, the current must pass through the resistance 58, and thus be out down, before entering coil 27. On the other hand, if the upper ends of the members are at the extreme right, then when the solenoid C is energized the levers 2 are raised and the pin 56 thereupon engages the contact or catch 55 whereby the upright member 35 will be lifted to close or straighten the toggle, thus closing the main switch B. The engaging of pin 56 and contact 55 completes a circuit, whereby, according to the form shown in Fig. 6, the additional coil 26 is brought into operation or whereby, according to the form shown in Fig. 7, the resistance 58 will be cut out. This supplies additional power for closing the main switch B.

The .construction of the clock illustrated and described is such that the winding by the solenoid or magnet C takes place about every seven and a half minutes. In other words, the winding takes place at such he parent of the gear which carries said sector,

and consequently the winding of the clock could be made to take place at p actically any desired inteiwal.

It will be observed that the electric engine or magnet 10 is connected across the incomwires, or other words, in parallel with .the incoming wires which supply the current for the circuit which is controlled by the main switch.

The improvements herein set forth are not limited (to the precise construction and arrangement shown and described as they may beembodied in various forms and ,modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. A time switch comprising in combination with the'main switch and clock thereof, a main switch propelling mechanism, a motor for actuating the propelling mechanism and also for winding the clock, and mechanism actuated by the clock for positioning the switch propelling mechanism, so that when the switch propelling mecha- .nism is in one position, the switch can be closed by the motor, and so that when the switch propelling mechanism is in another position, the switch can be opened by the motor.

2. A time switch comprising in combination a main switch, propelling mechanism therefor, a motor for actuating the propelling mechanism, means for positioning the propelling mechanism so that in one position it can be actuated by the motor to close the switch and so that in another position it can be actuated by the motor to open the main switch, and a clock having means which cooperates with the positioning mechanism, whereby the switch propelling mechanism will be moved to its predetermined desired position by the clock.

3. A time switch comprising in combination a main switch, a main switch propelling mechanism, an electromagnet comprising coils and a movable core for actuating the switch propelling mechanism, and a clock which is also automatically wound by said magnet, said time switch also comprising a primary control switch which is connected to an element movable with a memher in the clock train whereby at certain predetermined times the circuit will be closed to energize the magnet coils in order to move the core and thus wind the clock, said time switch also being provided with a secondary switch that is automatically closed when the core is being moved to close the main switch, whereby a larger amount of electrical energy can be supplied to the magnet coils when it is operating to actuate the switch propelling mechanism and in order to force the main switch to closed position than when the main switch is being opened.

4. A time switch comprising a main switch, a clock, a main switch propelling mechanism, mechanism for positioning the propelling mechanism, an electric motor which is arranged so that it can operate to actuate the propelling mechanism in order to close the switch when the propelling mechanism is in one position and to open the switch when the propelling mechanism is in another position, the clock being automatically wound and provided with electric contacts whereby energy will be supplied to the electric motor to either open or close the switch at predetermined intervals, the clock also being provided with mechanism which cooperates with the positioning mechanism in order to position the propelling mechanism whereby the latter can be actuated by the motor to open or close the switch.

5. A time switch comprising a main switch, a switch propelling mechanism, an electric clock, an electric engine for automatically winding the clock and also for actuating the propelling mechanism, a primary control switch which is automatically opened and closed by the movement of the clock whereby the engine can automatically wind the clock at said predetermined periods, and a secondary switch which is connected to the main switch propelling mechanism whereby when the engine is operating to close the main switch a greater amount of energy will be automatically supplied to said engine than when it is merely operating to wind the clock.

6. A time switch comprising a clock having a train of gears, a main switch, an electric engine for winding the clock, a primary control switch which is connected to a gear of the clock train, a secondary switch for causing a change in the amount of current supplied to the engine, a main switch operating mechanism arranged so that said main switch can be o ened or closed through said mechanism by said solenoid, the opening and closing being dependent upon the position of the main switch operating mechanism, and mechanism operated by the clock for positioning the main switch operating mechanism whereby the operating mechanism is properly positioned so that the main switch can be opened or closed through said operating mechanism by said engine, the secondary switch being connected to the time switch operating mechanism so that, dependent upon the position of said mechanism, the current supplied to the engine can be changed.

7. A self-winding time switch having a main switch, incoming conductors and an electric engine for operating said main switch, the construction of the time switch being such that the flow of current through said incoming conductors is dependent upon the position of the main switch, said engine being connected in parallel with said main switch. i

This specification signed and witnessed this 22nd day of June, A. D. 1914.

WALTER b. RYAN.

Signed in the resence of- EDWIN A. PACKARD, G. MCGRANN.

,, Gopies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 0. i 

